The following workflow provides an overview of the optimizationprocess:

1. Set up your shipper configuration to support optimizer mode selection.The optimizer selects the best mode to deliver each order based oncost and transit time. You set up the following configuration settings:

   Mode Selection Thresholds

   Sterling TMS usesthese thresholds to determine which orders to submit to the optimizerfor mode selection.

   Modes

   Select which transportation modes the optimizer considers whenit selects the best mode for each order or shipment.

   Direct Rate Contract

   This contract is used to store the representative rates that theoptimizer uses to compare shipping costs across modes.

   Carrier Contracts

   You have to define a contract with each carrier that is eligibleto deliver loads that are built by the optimizer.

   Transit Times

   Sterling TMS andthe optimizer use these durations to determine whether a transportationmode can satisfy the pickup and delivery window of an order or shipment.

2. Submit orders to Sterling TMS with the modeset to Any. Sterling TMS creates adirect mode selection plan which calculates how much it would costto ship the order as a single shipment in each mode.
3. Search for orders and shipments in Execution that you want tosubmit to the optimizer.
4. Submit an optimization run. You can also save an optimizationrun profile and use it in future runs or schedule how often a runis executed.
5. Review the results of the optimization run and approve or rejectthe load plans that the optimizer created.